Rolling-mill apparatus



' '(No M'ode-l.)

- vF. H. DANIELS.

- ROLLING MILL'APPARATUS.

'Patented 2, 188s.-

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. H. DANIBLS.

A ROLLING MILL APPARATUS. No. 390,285. 'Patented Oct. 2, 1888.k

1 W rw L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED H. DANIELS, E WORCESTER, MASSAGHUSETTS.V

ROLLING-Mlm. APPARATUS.I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,285', dated october 2, 1888. I Application led December 15. 18537.i Serial'No. 257.025. (No model'- i To aZZ whom ibn/my concern.' l

Be it known thatl, FEED H. DANIELsa citizen ofthe United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rolling-Mill Apparatus, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufliciently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The objects of my present invention are, first, to provide, in a rolling-mill for making wire rods, bands, and similar small shapes, facilities for maintaining the inherent heat of the metal whileconducting it at an intermediate stage of its reduction from the billet-mill or first train of rolls to the rodmil1 or finishing train or trains, and thereby rendering itpractical to produce a product of small size by rolling direct from primarily-heated blooms or bars`of large section without additional application of heat to the metal at any intermediate stage in the reducing process; second, to provide an ineasedguide or guides, as more fully hereinafter described, through which the partially-reduced product is conducted from the first to the second lrolling-trains; third,

-to provide, in combination with the rollingtrains, au incased guide or guiding-conductor, which also Serves as a receivi ng-chamber, having capacity for containing a given length of material in an extended condition or free from kinks, snarls, or short bends, mechanism for clipping or severing the product, and also facilities for feeding forward the partially-reduced bars to the second train. These objects I attain by mechanism the nature, construction,

and operation of which are explained'in the following description,the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafterdefnitely specif fied.-

In'the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan diagram showing in a general way an adaptation of my invention for use in a rolling-mill plant, comprising a billet-mill or large Section-train and two rod-mills or finishing-trains. Fig. 2 is a Sectional plan of switching mechanism at the foot4 of the billet-mill. Fig. 3 is a transverse verticaLsection of the incased conductor as made lwith two guidingchannels.V Fig. 4 is a similar view of the conductor asmade with a single guide-channel. Fig. 5 is a planview of the mechanism at the foot of the conductor and head of the rod-mill or second train. Fig. 6 is a part side and part vertical section View of the same, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the connecting-joints of the conductor. y

Referring to parts, A indicates a billet-mill or first train of rolls, consisting of any desired number of pairs, preferably arranged' to operate in continuous order, though other order may, in some cases, be employed,and provided with the usual guides and operating-gearing, which parts, being well known, are not herein shown. 4The respective rolls have grooves of suitable size and form for reducing a bloom or bar of large section, or, say, four by four inches, more or less', to a section of about one inch, more or less, as it issues from the last pair of rolls, a, in said billetunill, or first Series. A

B indicates a switch or movable guide, through which the bar or product is projected from the rolls a, and by means of which the product can bedirected into the proper guideway to run to either of the rod-mills or second series of rolls, C or C', which are located at the right and left at some distance from the billet-mill A, and are, in the present instance,

l disposed in a direction at right angles to that of the billet-mill, but, if preferred', might be disposed in other suitable relation thereto: I have illustrated the second series as a continuous mill, but other form of mill can be used,

-if desiredf The rod-mills C C may consistof any number of pairs ot' rolls-say fourteen or sixteen pairs, more or less, in each train-the same arranged and operated in the Same manner as now employed in continuous rod-rolling mills. The supporting-housings, operating-gearing, and guides, being such as commonly used in this class of mill, and well known, need not' be hereinA shown and described.

D D indicate the guidesor conducting-ways for directing the product from the first to the second rolling-trains. Said conductors are constructed as indicated, preferably with two guiding grooves or channels, d, formed in an inner casting or metal trough, D', which trough is inclosed by an outer box or casting, D", of considerably larger diameter, and the inter- IOO vening space between the inner and outer metal is filled with fire-brick, asbestus plaster, or other non-radiating or non-conducting ref'ractory material, E, or, if desired, with a dead-air space for retaining the inherent heat of the worked product while within said con-v ductor and for protecting the hot metal from the oxidizing induence of the atmosphere. The conducting-way D is provided with a removable-cover or covers, D, which may be formed in short lengths or sections convenientfor handling. These covers are preferably suspended in connection with counterbalanceweights E' by suitable chains, d, that pass over pulleys e, mounted on overhead supports, so that the covers can be conveniently raised when desired.

If desired, the covers D3 may be hinged to thelower part of the easing, as indicated by dotted lines at h in Fig. 3; or the casing may be provided with lugs, as at h', Fig. 4, for retaining the cover in position laterally.

The conducting-way is preferably made in sections with conneetingjoints, as indicated in Figs. (i and 7, to allow expansion and contraction in its length, the sections of the interior trough or metal lining, D', being fitted together in the manner indicated at d* in Fig. 7, so that the expansion and contraction will not open or offset the parts ina manner to interfere with the free running of the product through the guidingchannels d. The conductor casing or box D2 is preferably supported on posts G,to which the respective seetions are bolted, as indicated at g, or a brick wall can be used for the support of the conducting-way.

The covers D3 can be locked down by straining-bars H and suitable binders, as indicated in Fig. 6.

In the line of the conductor D and near to the head of the rod-mill or secondary rollingtrain C is arranged a set of feed-rolls, F, one of which rolls,f, has its bearings connected with a hydraulic piston working in a cylinder, F', by means of which said roll. can be raised and depressed accordingly as pressure is let into or from said cylinder by the controlling-valve F2, thereby causing the feedrolls to grip or release the product for feeding it forward or stopping its movement within the inclosed guidingchannel d, .'as desired. The feed-rolls can have a removable counterweighted cover, f, as indicated in Fig. 6, or otherwise.

J J indicate sniall rolls for supporting the` product while roll f is depressed. Adjacent to said feed-rolls is a power-shears, l, adapted for clipping or severing the bar or product. Motion is imparted for operating the shears I and feed-rolls F by suitable .belts ruiming on the pulleys I2 and Ff from any convenient driving-shaft. Beyond the shears I the guide D5, in continuation of the guide or conducting way D, extends to the leading pair of rolls c in the rod-mill or second train, C or C,so that tbe product as it runs forward will enter the bite of said rolls c automatically.

An offshoot guide or channel leading away from the rod-mill is provided, as indicated at S. A cutting and switching device, K, is arranged in connection with the main guide for severing the bar and directing the following portion thereof into said oifshoot-guide,where it can runout upon the floor or other place of deposit at one side of the mill without entering the second train of rolls. Said cutting and switching device consists of a suitablyformed head mounted on a rotating shaft, which is provided with a gear, K2, that meshes with an actuatingrack operated by a hydraulic piston and cylinder, K', brought into action under control ofthe "alve and valve-lever K when required. The purpose of this cutter, switch K, and offshoot-channel S is for severing the bar while running, and thus stop the feeding ofthe bar into the rod-train in case of any accident,such as the choking of the guides, breaking out of the rod, or other irregularity in the running ofthe finishing-train.

The switch B is pivoted to the guide-box A', supported in connection with the slotted bar A2,fixed tothe housing-frame of the billetmill, and which box is laterally adjustable on its support to bring the guide in line with either of the several grooves of the rolls a. A suitable operatinglever, B', is combined with said switch for shifting it to direct the rod to either ofthe guiding-channels in the right or left conducting-ways D.

B2 indicates a notched segment for retaining the lever B and switch B at the various positions of adjustment. is preferably incased in a non radiating or refractory casi ng similar to that of the conductor D, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Feed-rolls L are arranged at thehead of the conducting-way D for advancing the product clear of the switch B after its rear end has left thc last rolls, a, of the billet-mll.

The length of the respective conductingways D is sufficient to contain the entire length of the bar or product as delivered from the first train, A,it being deposited within the guiding-channel d as it is rolled out from said train with its forward end just reaching through the shears I to the extent of the crop end to be cut off, its rear end being clear of the switch B, so that a following bar can be directed thereby into one of the other guiding-channels d. Alternate billets are directed to the right and left rod-mills or trains C C when working the apparatus to its full capacity. After the rough head or erop end of the partially-reduced bar has been clipped off by the shears I the feedrolls F are brought into action to advance the bar into the second train of rolls, C C', by means of which it is reduced to the required finished size. The rod may be subsequently coiled by any suitable mechanism, the entire product of a single bloom being made into a single coil; or, if coils of a smaller quantity rIhis switching-guide P IIO are desired, the partially-reduced product can be severed into sections of a desired length by means of the shears I, and each of the several sections in turn advanced by means of the feed rolls F to be lfinished and separately coiled, as above stated.

By making the conducting-way D with two guiding-channels, d, ample opportunity is afforded for clearing the conductor of one section of the product before another is brought into position, as the second groove can be used for the second billet or bar when the first channel or any portion thereof is occupied by a preceding bar.

I have in a previous application, Serial No. 228,280, described an apparatus having a first or billet-rolling mill, a conducting-guideway, and means for delivering the partially-reduced product into the furnace of a second or rodrolling mill. It will therefore be understood that in the present application I donot claim the features illustrated and embraced in said previous application; but in the present application l. include new features of construe tion and combinations that render the apparatus practically more efficientandeconomieal.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rollingmill apparatus, a conducting wayincased within a heat-retaining covering, as described, into and through which the produet is guided and deposited preparatory to shearing the crop end therefrom and feeding it'into the rod-.rolling train or finishing series of rolls. j

2. In arolling-mill for producing wire rods, an intermediate receiving-channel or guidingway between the reducing roll-trains, into or through which the partially-reduced product is delivered, said guiding-way being covered with a non-conducting or non-radiating material for retaining the heat of the partiallyre duced metal previous to its delivery to a final or finishing series of rolls.

.3. The conductor having a plurality ofguiding-channels incased within a heatretaining covering, substantially as described, in com I bination with a rolling-mill from which the hot bar or product is projected and deposited into said conductor, for the purpose set forth.

4. The conductor composed of the inner metal lining, having a guiding groove or grooves, an exterior metal casing with an intermediate heat-retaining filling, and the removable cover-sections, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. y

5. The long conducting-wayincased within a heat-retaining covering or case, and composed of a series of sections having intermatehing connections that permit the eXpansion and contraction, in combination with the primary and secondary series of reducingrolls in a rolling-mill.'

6. In a niill for producing wire rods, the combination of a first series of rolls for partially reducing the product, an inclosed heatretaining conducting-way into and through which the-produet is delivered, shearsv for cutting the partially-reduced product, and a second or final series of rolls to which the product is delivered from said conducting-way and reduced to finished wire rod.

l 7. In a mill for producing wire rods in continuous order from blooms or bars of large 'sectional area, the combination of a primary series of rolls, a non-radiating inelosed conducting-way that receives the partiallyreduced products from said primary series of rolls, shears for cutting the same, feed-rolls for moving the product within the conductingway, and a continuous rod-train or series of rolls for completing the reduction of the product to finished size and form.

8. The combination, with the billet-mill or primary series of rolls and the rod-mills or secondary series of rolls, of a plurality of conducting-ways inelosed in a heat-retaining covering and respectively leading from the primary to tbe secondary trains, switching mechanism for directing the partially-1'educed product from the primary train into either of the conducting-ways, and feed-rolls in connection `with said conducting-ways for drawing the product from the switch and advancing it therein.

9. The combination, with the primary rolls, condu`ctingway, and secondary rolls, of the offshoot conductor and cutting and switching devices for severing the product and directing it into said offshoot at the head of the second. ary train, as set forth. A

l0. The movable switch, its pivot-support ing box laterally adjustable upon the supporting-frame, in combination with the rolls A, having a number of grooves, the conducting-ways I), and-the switch-operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a rolling-mill for producing Wire rods, having separat-e series of reducing-rolls, an

ICO

intermediate receiving-channel into or through which the partially-reduced product is delivered, said receiving-channel being conformed to support the rod from buckling and covered with a nou-conducting or non-radiating material.

Witness my hand this 12th day of Decem` ber, A. D. 1887. 4

f FRED H. DANIELS. NVitnesses: y

GaAs. H. BURLEMH, ELLA I. BLnNUs. 

